Military Salute: Sgt. Jose Lopez

Sergeant Jose Lopez was the first to react to the last thing you'd expect to see on a trip to the grocery store.

The First Brigade, Third BSP sergeant was at the Hinesville Kroger when a man drove his car straight into the store, destroying shelves and endangering shoppers.

Lopez was intent to limit the damage when the driver backed his car out of the store.

"My reaction was just to stop the dude,'' said Sgt. Lopez. "I ran outside, I saw the guy and I started screaming at him. I told him to shut the car off, to get out of the car, to keep his hands where I could see them. I used command voice like we use in the military.''

That military training, and Sgt. Lopez's instincts, told him the dangerous situation could possibly get worse, but he wouldn't let it.

"Us being military, you think the worst,'' he said. "I just asked him if he had explosives in the vehicle, if he had a bomb, and I told him 'Don't move, just stay there until the police get there.' People coming out of the store, I told them to just stay away. I just wanted to make sure nobody got hurt.''

Nobody did, in part because of Sgt. Lopez's quick action, earning him the gratitude of fellow shoppers and this WTOC Military Salute.

Emergency crews are responding to a fire at a Walterboro gas station Wednesday night. (Source: Wendy Bryant)

Emergency crews are responding to a fire at a Walterboro gas station Wednesday night. (Source: Wendy Bryant)

Emergency crews are responding to a fire at a Walterboro gas station Wednesday night. It's at the Murphy USA gas station on 2100 Bells Highway near the Walmart. Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Emergency crews are responding to a fire at a Walterboro gas station Wednesday night. It's at the Murphy USA gas station on 2100 Bells Highway near the Walmart. Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved.